Preemptive Strike

Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Slip Away swept to the lead approaching the Springdale Course's final turn and powered away to a remarkable 25 3/4-length victory in the Colonial Cup Steeplechase at Camden, S.C., on Nov. 13.

Mixed Up rallied through the stretch after taking the final hurdle and went on to a half-length victory over Preemptive Strike in the $105,723 A.P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase (NSA-I) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 6.

Looking as powerful as ever, two-time defending steeplechase champion Good Night Shirt overwhelmed Preemptive Strike in the stretch to win the $75,000 Carolina First Carolina Cup (NSA-II) at a rain-drenched Springdale Race Course in Camden, S.C., on March 28.

The battle lines drawn last fall will play out again March 28 at the 77th annual Carolina Cup Races, when two-time steeplechase champion Good Night Shirt and speedball Preemptive Strike renew a budding rivalry in the day's featured $75,000 Carolina First Carolina Cup (NSA-II).

Good Night Shirt completed a perfect season with a gutsy victory in the $150,000 Colonial Cup (NSA-I) at Springdale Race Course Nov. 16, running down Preemptive Strike in deep stretch to score by a neck.

Good Night Shirt overcame a stumble on the final fence when he nearly lost his rider, registering a one-length victory over Orison in the inaugural running of the $168,400 Lonesome Glory Hurdle (NSA-I) at Belmont Park Sept. 22.

The A.P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase (NSA-II) Thursday at Saratoga came down to the final 20 yards of the flat run when when a determined Mixed Up outfought the front-running Preemptive Strike to win by a half-length.

The April 20 Royal Chase for the Sport of Kings Hurdle (NSA-I) at Keeneland has attracted a standout field of 11. The 2 1/2-mile stakes over 13 fences will be the ninth race Friday afternoon with a probable post time of 5:15 p.m. Major contenders are Mixed Up, Preemptive Strike, Paradise's Boss, Racey Dreamer, and Good Night Shirt.

Looking to become the second horse to win back-to-back runnings of the $150,000 Royal Chase (NSA-I), Kinross Farm's Sur La Tete heads a talented list of 12 Thoroughbreds nominated to the race at Keeneland April 20.

Polaris Stable's Preemptive Strike, the likely pacesetter and one of the three main contenders in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Steeplechase (NSA-I) at the Far Hills Races in Far Hills, N.J., was scratched Friday with a foot abscess.

Polaris Stable's Preemptive Strike broke on top and was never headed, winning the $75,000 Somerset Medical Center Steeplechase (NSA-II), a race for cancer awareness, at the Meadowlands on Saturday night by five lengths.

The $75,000 Georgia Cup (NSA-II) promises to be an uphill battle Saturday. The two-mile stakes is one of the shorter events on the National Steeplechase Association schedule, but the stretch is a rising slope that will provide a steeper test than the distance itself. Preemptive Strike, fifth on the 2004 money list, is ready to rise to the challenge.

A showdown is expected at Springdale Race Course when two of steeplechasing's top runners ride into Camden, S.C., Saturday for the Carolina First Carolina Cup (NSA-III), with 2004 champion Hirapour ready to take on last year's Cup winner Preemptive Strike.

The National Steeplechase Association's 2005 calendar begins March 6 with the fourth annual Little Everglades Steeplechase in Dade City, Fla. The tour's southern-most stop kicks off a 24-stop spring circuit that offers total purses of $2.6 million.

Barracuda Stable's Tres Touche finally got a win in a grade I steeplechase, charging past pacesetter Preemptive Strike on the backstretch, and galloping off with rider Dave Bentley to a 20 3/4-length win in the $100,000 Iroquois Steeplechase (NSA-I) in Nashville Saturday.

Seven hurdle stakes horses will square off in Saturday's $100,000 Iroquois Steeplechase (NSA-I), at three miles the longest hurdle race on the National Steeplechase Association calendar, in Nashville, Tenn.

Preemptive Strike and veteran Lord Zada headline the list of nominations for Keeneland's $150,000 Royal Chase (NSA-I), the richest race on the National Steeplechase Association's spring schedule, to be run Friday, April 16.

Steeplechasers will be part of the Triple Crown show at Belmont Park this week, as a solid field of 11 was entered for Thursday's $100,000 Meadow Brook Stakes (National Steeplechase Association grade I) over National Fences.